Cracking apparatus



Aug. 7, 1951 F. .1. FONTANA 2,562,903

CRACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY 7umlilDris, T-Cvurw 4 ffl/WMM ATTORNEYS F. J. FONTANA CRACKING APPARATUS Aug. 7, 1951 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aoct. 25, 1945 I STEAM ATTORNEY5 Ango 71, @Si F. J. FQNTANA 2956299@ CRACKING APPARATUS Filed, oct. 25, 1945 u 12 sheets-sheet s' ATTORNEYS Aug. 7, 1951 F. J. FONTANA CRACKING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 N s R n mm mf mm K .5, Mmm

New Y Aug. 7, 1951 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 ZONE ZONE

F. .1. FONTANA 2,562,903

CRACKING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Aug 7 1951 F. J. FONTANA 2,562,903

v CRACKING APPARATUS Filed oct. 25, 1945 12 sheets-sheet e ZONE Za/VE ZONE j INVENTOR f Fff/QN/r ffm/MNH ATTORNEY- F. J. FoNTANA 2,562,903

CRACKING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet AugG 7, 1951 Filed oct. 25, 1945 Aug. 7, 1951 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 F. J. FONTANA CRACKING APPARATUS INVENTOR EMA/ff fa/vmA/ Aug' 7, 1951 F. J. FONTANA 2,562,903

CRACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 i l Lim A90 INVENTOR 74 F//v/f ffm/TANA BY Pm l Dow/Wamnm Zd/wade ATTORNEYS Aug. 7, 1951 F. J. FQNTANA CRACKING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed 001;. 25, 1945 r-ff Aug. '7, 1951 F. J. FONTANA CRACKING APPARATUS 12 Sheets-Sheet 1l INVENTOR Filed Oct. 25, 1945 ATTORNEYS Aug. 7, 1951 F. J. FONTANA CRACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1945 09000000000 o59000 G9 oo 12 Sheets-Sheet l2 ATToRNEYS Patented Aug. 7, d1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE by mesne assignments, to. Hendry Process Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,431

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons and more especially'to improvements in cracking operations in which a granular catalyst is moved downwardly through a. region of reaction ina reaction vessel, between a. level of introduction and a lower. .level of discharge. In these operations uniform and regular ilow of the granular catalyst between the two levels throughout the region of reaction .is essential for maximum eciency and economy. Thus, if the rateof catalyst iow is not uniform across the reaction vessel, i. e.if part of the catalyst flows through the region of reaction more Arapidly than other parts, catalyst exposure is not uniform and catalyst efciency drops, while if the catalyst ilow is irregular the catalyst undergoes physical degradation with production of lines necessitating increasedcatalyst replacement. In operations in which the catalyst circulatesv between a cracking reactor and regenerating kiln, the effects of nonuniiormity or irregularity are not conilned'to kthe reaction vessel in. which it occurs. For example, non-uniform lflow inthe cracking reactor may involve non-uniformity of coke deposit resulting from the cracking reaction, in turn involving irregularities in the regenerating kiln in which such coke deposits are burned from the catalyst- In the conventional catalytic cracking system employing a moving catalyst bed, uniform and regular now of the catalysty inthe cracking reactor and regenerator ,is soughtto be attained by providing, in conjunction with catalyst distributing means in the upper part ofeach. vessel, such means consisting of a distributing plate and associ-ated distributing tubes, a series of apertured collector plates or bailles in the lower part of the vessel, the lowest of the baffles having the fewest apertures and each above having` more than the next below, the apertures in each baille being provided wth downcomer pipes or tubes and being' arranged with respect to the apertures in the next lower baille or the discharge port in the lower end of the vessel (in the case of the lowest baille) so. that the several paths of flow through the apertures in the highest baille are eventuallyv gathered. in. a. single path of. ow through the discharge port. Additional to the baffles and the vertical catalyst distributing tubes, the cracking reactor and regenerating kiln eachcomprises a plurality of beam ducts positioned on a horizontal plane intermedi-ate the tubes and bailies, such ducts serving for the introduction .of oil vapors or steam in the case of the cracking reactor. and for the introduction. of air. or removal of combustion gases in the instance of the regenerating kiln. Associated with each duct and extending at right angles thereto on either side on the same plane are a plurality of distributor or collector members. These members have the form of inverted troughs, and adjacent troughs form channels through which the downwardly ilowing granular catalyst passes.

While it would seem that the arrangement of distributing tubes and bailles described would induce uniform and regular catalyst ilovv, in actual operation this desideratum hithertoV has been seldom approached. One manifestation of no nuniformity and irregularity of catalyst flow is bumping caused by the intermittent hold-up `and release of catalyst invarious sections ofthe reaction vessel. fBumping is particularly pronounced during initial operation, for example,

after shut-down forv periodic inspection and re.-

placement. of worn parts It may become so severe as. to do serious equipmentdamage.

The principal object of the present inventionis to provide a catalytic cracking reactionvessel, by which I mean a cracking reactor or a regenerating kiln, adapted for use in the cracking of hydrocarbon oils according to the moving catalyst bed principle, in which uniformity and regularity of catalyst ow can be established relatively sooner and can be maintained with relatively less difficulty than is possible in the now conventional reactor and regenerator.

A further object is to provide a catalytic crackingy reactionvessel in which bumping is substantially eliminated.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved according to the present invention, which Will be described with the aid of lthe accompanying drawings, by simple changes in the design of the catalyst distributing tubes and other parts referred to above which characterize the conventional reactor and regenerator.

In the drawings, which although diagrammatic and conventional are in general of scale proportions,

Fig. 1 is a ilow diagram of a cracking system comprising a regenerating kiln and` cracking reactor, eachembodying :ny-invention.

Fig. 2 is an .elevation of thekiln of Fig. l.

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, enlarged sections of the upper and lower. parts of the kiln in Fig. 2, sections on line 3,-3. of Fig. 5, and line 4 4 of Fig. 6, respectively.

Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, enlarged sec-- tionsof the upper and lower parts of thekiln in Fig.. 2, the sections being taken on line 5 5. of

Fig. 3, and on line B--5 of Fig. 4, respectively. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section of any of the beam ducts appearing in less detail in other gures--see particularly Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 9 is a reduced section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 10 to 13 are reduced sections taken on Fig. 14 is a sectional elevationof the reactor in Fig. 1.

Fig. l5 is an enlarged section of the upper part of the reactor.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged section of the lower part of the reactor.

Fig. 17 is a section taken on line l1| 1 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a section on line ifi-I8 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 19 is a section on line I9-I9 of Fig. 16.

Figs. 20 and 21 are fragmentary sections of the ducts appearing in less detail in oth-er figuressee particularly Fig. 17.

Fig. 22 is a vertical section through any three adjacent distributor troughs in the reactor.

Figs. 23 to 26 are sections taken on the lines 23-23, 24-24, 25-25 and 26-26 of Fig. 17.

Referring to Fig. 1 as a diagram of the cracking operation as a whole: a charge of catalyst is maintained in a reactor 20, the regenerated catalyst being supplied from storage chamber 22 through connection 2l and spent catalyst being discharged through connection 23. The temperature in the reactor may approximate, for example, 900-975 F. and the pressure in the reactor may approximate 6-10 pounds per square inch gauge. Connection 2 l is made long enough to serve as a seal. The hydrocarbons to be cracked are introduced into the reactor as a vapor mixture through connection 24. Steam to strip the spent catalyst leaving the reactor "of vaporizable material is introduced through connection 25. The cracked hydrocarbons together with any uncracked material and the stripping steam leave the reactor as a vapor mixture through connection 26. Spent catalyst is lifted to the top of the kiln 21 by means of bucket elevator 28, entering the kiln through connection 42. Any fresh catalyst required to maintain the volume of catalyst in circulation in the system is introduced through connection 29 and lifted to the top of the kiln 21 by means of elevator 28 together with the spent catalyst. The A catalyst moves downwardly through the kiln kthrough a series of bodies in a corresponding series of zones through which air is blown by means of blower 3D and manifolds 3l with appropriate connections to each of the several zones. The products of combustion escape from each of the several zones through ducts or manifolds 32, ultimately escaping through stack 33. The regenerated catalyst discharged from the lower end of the kiln through connection 34 is lifted to the top of bucket elevator 35. Part of the regenerated catalyst passes from the top of elevator 35 directly to chamber 22 through connection 36. Another part, 5%-l0% of the total for example,

passes through connection 31 to an elutriator 38.

In this elutriator this diverted part of the regenerated catalyst falls through a rising stream of part of the gases passing to the stack, the fines l being carried olf with the gases and the coarser material return-ed through connection 39 to the foot of the elevator 35. In this manner the proportion of fines in the circulating catalyst can be kept within a chosen maximum. As a control, the proportion of the stack gases diverted through the elutriator can be Varied or the proportion of the regenerated catalyst diverted to the elutriator can be varied. Before escaping through the stack 33 the products of combustion pass through a series of cyclone separators 40 in which fines carried out of the elutriator together with any nes carried out of the kiln proper are separated and discharged through connection 4 l. The kiln, the catalyst storage chamber, the reactor, the elevators and the several connections through which the catalyst passes are thermally insulated to minimize heat loss. By passing fresh catalyst through the kiln as it enters the system, such fresh catalyst is brought to the same temperaturcas the bulk of the circulating catalyst before it enters the catalyst storage chamber or the reactor.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 13, illustrating in greater detail a regenerating kiln embodying my invention: the kiln comprises a rectangular, thermally-insulated, and refractory-lined shell 43. To effect uniform distribution of the catalyst over a horizontal section of the kiln, a distributor plate 0r baffle 44, carrying distributing tubes 45, is arranged at the upper end of the kiln. To promote uniform flow of the catalyst downwardlythrough the'kiln, a series of collector plates or baflies 46, 41, 48, and 49, each carrying appropriately arranged distributing tubes or downcomers 5D, 5l, 5,2, and 53, is provided in the lower part of the kiln. The arrangement of the apertures in the collector plates 46, 41, 48, and 49 is detailed in Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13, respectively, while a plan View of the distributor plate 44, from which the tubes depend, is provided by Fig. 9. As indicated by these figures, the distributor plate preferably supports at least 9 tubes; plate 46, 256 tubes; plate 41, 64 tubes; plate 49, 16 tubes, and plate 49, 4 tubes. With respect to plates 4B-45, it is to be noted that the diameter and length of the tubes increases with each succeeding plate. A plurality of tube bundles 54, through which a cooling medium is circulated, divides the regenerator into l0 zones (see Fig. 2), each of which is independent of the others for control purposes. A grid consisting of a beam duct and associated distributor troughs 56 is arranged centrally of each Zone for introduction of air thereinto (see Figs. 3 6). Each of beam ducts 55 comprises apertures 51 allowing for passage of air from the duct to its associated distributor troughs, the air being supplied from manifolds 3| connected to the ducts through dampers 58. For the collection of flue gases there is provided in each zone two grids, one below and one above the grid for air introduction, each of which like the grid for air introduction composes a beam duct 59 and associated troughs 60 communicating through passageways 6 l. Beam ducts 59 communicate with flue gas manifolds 32 through dampers 6|. A

plan view of one of the grids for removing flue gases is provided by Fig. 7. In Fig. 8, illustrating in greater detail any of the beam ducts as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the numeral 63 denotes a reinforcing web extending throughout the length of the beam duct, indicated generally by the numeral 64. Attached, or integral, peaked portions and 66, effectively streamline the duct on a vertical plane, while passageways 61 allow for entry of air into the trough 68, or for escape of ue gas from the trough, as the case may be.

It will be noted from Figs. 2, 4, or 6 that in the zone nearest the bottom of the regenerating kiln, i. e. zone lll, the flue gas collector troughs are spaced further from the air distributor troughs tion of granular catalyst at its upperend anda port for catalyst discharge `at its lower end, of a horizontal plate for receiving catalyst admitted through the irst port, vertical catalyst distributing conduits depending from the plate having serrations at their lower ends, a vertical series of horizontal baffles above the catalyst discharge port, each baille in the series supporting dependL ing vertical conduits for catalyst distribution having serrations at their lower ends, a horizontally disposed duct for the introduction of an aeriform iluid positioned mediate the serrated lower ends of the inst-mentioned conduits and the uppermost baille or" said series of ballles, the duct having peaked bottom and top portions effectively streamlining it on a vertical plane, and distributor members having the form of inverted troughs communicating with the duct through apertures therein and extending substantially at right angles thereto on the same plane and level, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated.

2. In a catalytic cracking reactor having' a port for the Withdrawal of cracked products, a port for introduction of granular catalyts fand a'port 2.5 for catalyst discharge, the port for cracked products withdrawal and the port for catalyst introduction being positioned at the upper end of the reactor, the port for catalyst discharge being positioned yat the lower end of the reactor, a horizontal disposed catalyst distributing baille below the port for catalyst introduction, a plate lbelow the baille for receiving catalyst from the baffle, vertical catalyst distributing conduits depending from the plate having serrations v:at their lower ends, a vertical series of horizontal bailles above the catalyst discharge port, each baille in the series supporting depending vertical conduits for catalyst distribution having serrations at their lower ends, a horizontally disposed duct for 40 the introduction of oil vapor positioned mediate the serrated lower ends of the inst-mentioned conduits and the uppermost baffle of said series of ballles, the duct having peaked bottom and top portions effectively streamlining it on a vertical 45 plane, distributor members having the form of inverted troughs extending outwardly from the sides of the duct, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated, a second horizontally disposed duct for the introduction of steam '50 positioned below the first-mentioned duct and above the uppermost baille of said series of baffles, the duct having peaked bottom and top portions eiectively streamlining it on a vertical plane, and distributor members having the form of in- 55 verted troughs extending outwardly from the sides of the duct, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated.

3. The combination in a catalyst regenerating kiln provided with a port for introduction oflo granular catalyst at its upper end and a port for catalyst discharge at its lower end of a horizon- Vtally disposed plate for receiving catalyst from Number the first port, vertical catalyst distributing conduits depending from the plate having serrations at their lower ends, a vertical series of horizontal baffles abovethe catalyst 'discharge port, each baille in the series supporting depending vertical conduits for catalyst distribution having serrations at their lower ends, a plurality or pairs of horizontally disposed ducts for the removal of flue gases positioned mediate the serrated lower 0 ends of the first-mentioned conduits and the uppermost baille of said series of bailles, such ducts having peaked bottom and top portions eiectively streamlining them on a vertical plane, collector members having the form of inverted troughs extending outwardly from the sides of each duct, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated, a horizontally disposed duct for the introduction of air between each pair of ducts for flue gas removal, the duct having peaked bottom and top portions eil'ectively streamlining it on a vertical plane, and distributor members having the form of inverted troughs extending outwardly from the sides of the duct, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated.

4. In `a reaction vessel comprising a chamber adapted to contain a downwardly moving nonturbulent bed of iluent granular solid, a port for introduction of granular solid at its upper end and a port for discharge of granular solid at its lower end: the combination thereof with a horizontal partition belowthe solid introduction port and abovev said bed; downwardly directed solid distributing conduits depending from said partition, said solid distributing conduits being open at both ends and having serrations at their lower ends; a vertical series of horizontal balles above the solid discharge port; open ended vertical con* duits depending from each baille in the series, each of said vertical conduits having serrations ratv its lower end, and means for passing gas between the exterior and the interior of said vessel comprising at least one plurality of gas passage members having the form of inverted troughs, said members being spaced 'apart in parallel relation in 'a horizontal plane, the lower edges of the sides of said members being serrated` FRANK J. FONTANA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNrrED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,240,215 Hunt Sept. 18, 1917 2,183,301 Bossner et al. Dec. l2, 1939 2,362,621 Fahnestock Nov. 14, 1944 2,412,136 Evans et al. Dec. 3, 1946 2,418,673 Sinclair et al. Apr. 8, 1947 2,423,411 Simpson July l, 1947 '2,458,359 Evans Jan. 4, 1949 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,562,903 August 7, 1951 FRANK J. FONTANA It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the `above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 57, for composes read comprises; line 60, for 61 read 6'2 column 5, line 2, for one read zone; column 7, lines 30 and 31, for horizontal read horizontally;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Oioe.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October, A. D. 1951.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

1. THE COMBINATION IN A CATALYTIC CRACKING REACTION VESSEL PROVIDED WITH A PORT FOR INTRODUCTION OF GRANULAR CATALYST AT ITS UPPER END AND A PORT OF CATALYST DISCHARGE AT ITS LOWER END, OF A HORIZONTAL PLATE FOR RECEIVING CATALYST ADMITTED THROUGH THE FIRST PORT, VERTICAL CATALYST DISTRIBUTING CONDUITS DEPENDING FROM THE PLATE HAVING SERRATIONS AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, A VERTICAL SERIES OF HORIZONTAL BAFFLES ABOVE THE CATALYST DISCHARGE PORT, EACH BAFFLE IN THE SERIES SUPPORTING DEPENDING VERTICAL CONDUITS FOR CATALYST DISTRIBUTION HAVING SERRATIONS AT THEIR LOWER ENDS, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED DUCT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF AN AERIFORM FLUID POSITIONED MEDIATE THE SERRATED LOWER ENDS OF THE FIRST-MENTIONED CONDUITS AND 